complicated [lucaya]

12

Two weeks later...

[Maya's POV;]

My eyes were fixed on Mr. Matthews from the moment he walked in the room. I'd rather face him, than face Riley right now. The conversation I had with my parents this morning replayed in my head and I couldn't focus.

"We've given you some time to think this through, and we think you should tell the Matthews what's going on and get the police involved."

I could tell by the look on my parents face that the entire situation was mentally exhausting them. Yet another reason for me not to tell Mr. and Mrs. Matthews about Josh. "I think he needs to pay for what he did, but I don't want to disrupt any lives. Besides no one is going to believe me."

"Stop making excuses. You're a smart girl Maya, and you know that there's at least two things that he'll be charged for regardless if anyone believes you." I hate that Shawn is involved with this. Josh is pretty much another brother to him.

"You guys know what people at school think of me. If I try to press charges everyone is going to say that I just regretted it and I was asking for it." I sighed and looked down at my feet. "I don't know if I can handle that kind of attention."

My mom hugged me and I melted into her arms. "You're stronger than that Maya. It doesn't matter what a bunch of teenagers think, they weren't there." She pulled away from me and placed her hands on my shoulders. "I know you and Lucas don't really talk at school, but if you're not going to talk to Riley you should try talking to him more. Your friends love you Maya. Don't shut them out right now."

The bell rang and I began to gather my things. "Maya, why are you avoiding me?"

Slinging my bag over my shoulder, I stopped to look at Riley. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You've barely spoken to me since that day in the parking lot, what's going on?"

I nervously bit my lip and looked at the ground. "I went to talk to Austin and I got closure." 

She sighed and sat on the desk. "That doesn't have anything to do with me. I want the truth. This isn't about Lucas is it?"

"Riles, I really don't want to talk about this right now." I turned to walk out of the room, but when I reached the doorway something came over me. Mentally cursing myself, I looked back at Riley and took a deep breath. "Whatever happens, I don't want you to blame me or anything, okay?"

When she nodded in agreement I flashed her a small smile and left the room.

-

This day could not possibly go by any slower. Being the only person in my group smart enough to get P.E. out of the way freshman year, I was sitting by myself on the bleachers while everyone else complained complained about how hot it was.

I was trying to make sense of my chemistry homework when I heard footsteps growing louder and louder. I tried to ignore it, but then the noise came to a stop. "Why won't you accept any of my calls?" His voice sent chills through my body.

"Didn't you get my message? I don't want to see you." I didn't even look up from my textbook.

He huffed and sat close to me. "Come on Hart, why are you so upset with me?"

I stopped writing and stared at the field in front of us. "You really need to go."

"I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what's wrong." Josh put his arm around me and pushed my hair behind my ear. "You used to tell me everything."

My heart began to race and slowly turned to look at him. "I can't be around you anymore. You're not good for me."

"Oh Maya," He chuckled, "you have to stop listening to everything Lucas tells you."